RTÉ - Mooney

On tonight's programme, we'll be roasting chestnuts on an open fire while dreaming of a white Christmas and if we're lucking jingle-bells rocking the night away with our nearest and dearest. Derek Mooney is joined by Dr. Richard Collins, Eric Dempsey, Sinéad Renshaw, Paul Donnell, Terry Flanagan, Éanna Ni Lamhna, Suzanne Campbell & much much more.

Around this time of year many people will be ordering their turkey for Christmas dinner. Although, not everyone will be ordering Turkey, Duck or a Goose has its place on the Christmas table. Derek Mooney and Dr. Richard Collins, zoologist and Mooney Goes Wild panelist went to meet Dr. Sean Kent, owner of a Goose farm in Ballyrichard Arklow.

This December A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is 175 years old. Dickens, like many writers and composers in this era wrote by Quill pen. Derek spoke with Dr. Leon Litvak, Reader in English at Queen's University Belfast and Larry Hanks, one of the founding members of The Pen Museum in Birmingham.

Derek Mooney, zoologist Dr. Richard Collins, Niall Hatch (Development Officer with BirdWatch Ireland) and author Eric Dempsey (founder of BirdsIreland.com) head to Bull Island to meet Anthony McGeehan, author of 'To The Ends of the Earth', to learn about the fascinating world of bird migration! For more, visit www.rte.ie/mooney

Octopus, squid and cuttlefish are the trio with the most complex brains among invertebrates. We plunge into the pages of a new book all about these mysterious creatures with co-author, Professor Louise Allcock of NUI Galway... www.rte.ie/mooney

We delve into the wildlife crime underworld with Superintendent Martin Walker who’s co-ordinating a new Garda initiative targeting gangs of poachers, as John Bela Reilly and Niall Hatch find out how much Dubliners know about wildlife crime... www.rte.ie/mooney

Imagine an ostrich-like bird that weighed about the same as an adult giraffe. Sounds like the stuff of fantasy? Not so! For about 150 years now, debate about what was the largest bird ever to roam the Earth has been intense - largely due to highly competitive scientists claiming to have discovered a new species of Elephant bird.

It seems that human females are not the only ones holding out for a street-wise, Herculean hero! A groundbreaking new study on Great Tits has found that "macho males bond sooner with a partner, while shyer males hang with the homies" - once again proving the maxim that the early bird always gets the worm!

It may seem like a long time ago now, but one of the exhibits at Bloom 2018 was a dementia-friendly garden. The garden was created by landscape gardener Clive Jones, and it was a big success at the festival.

There's a huge design interest in Sloths at present. But what do we actually know about these cute languid mammals? We find out from Judy Avey-Orroyo, co-founder and General Manager of the Sloth Orphanage in Costa Rica, and William Hartson, author of a new book about Sloths. Plus find out how you can WIN a copy of his book! www.rte.ie/mooney

Derek and Dr. Richard Collins go in search of Dippy the Diplodocus, the distinguished dinosaur from London's Natural History Museum, who is currently touring the UK. and who has most recently taken up residence in Belfast's Ulster Museum... www.rte.ie/mooney

'Tis the season of mists, mellow fruitfulness and conker fights! MGW reporter Terry Flanagan visits St. Anne's Park in Dublin to find out more about the forthcoming All Ireland Conker and Cone Championship Tournament - and to try his hand at cracking a conker! www.rte.ie/mooney

Move over Manuka ... it’s hello Irish heather honey - new research from Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin proves that that our own pot packs just as powerful a punch as the cult classic. Prof Jane Stout is in studio to tell us why, as beekeeper Willie O'Byrne and heather grower Larry Doran also join in the chat... www.rte.ie/mooney

From the hard-working world of bees to some of the furriest creatures found on our planet: wildlife cameraman Colin Stafford-Johnson talks to us about the Arctic fox and sea otter, on his return from filming for the forthcoming BBC series First Year On Earth... www.rte.ie/mooney

Mooney Goes Wild reporter Terry Flanagan investigates sightings of an elusive bird – one which always brings a dash of drama and a splash of colour to our gardens, even on the greyest of days: the Jay... www.rte.ie/mooney

Why is there an Arctic beluga whale swimming in the River Thames in England? Martin Garside and Dr. Simon Berrow join us with the latest news on Benny the Beluga, who’s travelled 3000km from the coasts of the Arctic and Greenland to frolic in the waters of the English home counties... www.rte.ie/mooney

It’s being heralded as a major scientific breakthrough - a brand new beacon of hope in the fight against one of the world’s greatest killer diseases: malaria. We hear from Dr. Andrea Crisanti, one of the lead scientists who has successfully wiped out a whole colony of mosquitoes by tweaking genes to stop females reproducing... www.rte.ie/mooney

In the waters off the New Zealand town of Kaikoura, a kayaker got a shock when a seal rose out of the water to slap him with an octopus! The whole thing was caught on camera - visit www.rte.ie/mooney to view the clip. Derek talks to Eanna ni Lamhna about Kaikoura and the wildlife that can be found in the locality...

A special programme on the Bergen Whale, which was found to have over 30 plastic bags in its stomach, as we investigate the horrific effect that plastic pollution is having on marine animals... www.rte.ie/mooney

Derek tells Dr. Richard Collins, Niall Hatch and Eric Dempsey about the gulls that live near him who tap-dance on the ground. The gulls have now been joined by a large number of crows - but they prefer to peck at the ground. Why, Derek asks Niall, is this? www.rte.ie/mooney

Rooks at the Puy du Fou Theme Park in France have been trained to pick up cigarettes butts and other litter at the park, in exchange for a reward. Nicolas de Villiers is President of Puy du Fou, and he joins Derek on the line to explain more about this interesting initiative... www.rte.ie/mooney

Bush fires are common during Australia's dry season where some kites and falcons prey on animals fleeing the fires. New research shows some of the birds spread fire by dropping burning twigs, to flush out prey. Inecol geographer Mark Bonta conducted the research; he joins us from Mexico to tell us more... www.rte.ie/mooney

Niall explains to Derek, Eric and Richard why some male ruffs (which usually have extraordinary plumage) have evolved to look more like the females of the species, and after one listener sent us a remarkable video of a Tailor Bird, Niall tells us about this ornithological stitcher... www.rte.ie/mooney

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have observed mallards attacking and eating smaller birds on a reservoir in Romania. Dr. Silviu Petrovan is Research Associate at the university’s Department of Zoology, and joins us on the line tonight from Cambridge... www.rte.ie/mooney

Derek Mooney presents a special programme examining the link between humans & house sparrows, how development of early agriculture led to sparrow settlements in Ireland + why "Cockney sparras" may well become a thing of the past... www.rte.ie/mooney

Derek Mooney talks to ornithologists, authors, academics & those who work with feathers to uncover their significance within the natural world, pre-historic origin, and value & varied uses of feathers today... plus WIN a copy of book The Feather Thief! www.rte.ie/mooney

Love them or hate them, there is no denying that Cuckoos are very special birds indeed. Their behaviour and lifecycle is utterly unlike that of any other Irish or European bird. In this new documentary, Derek meets many of those researching and studying cuckoo populations. For more, visit www.rte.ie/mooney

Adult male gorillas are known as "Silver-backs" because of the distinctive patch of silver which grows on their backs. – But when, how and why does that silver hair grow? Jillian Miller – Director of The Gorilla Organisation (conservation group dedicated to working with local communities to protect gorillas in natural habitat) spoke with Derek....

What is the picture for the mammals which are living here in Ireland? Our reporter, Terry Flanagan, was in the suburbs of south Dublin overlooking a green space, while at the same time being surrounded by houses and was joined by Nicola Marples Professor of Zoology at Trinity College Dublin...

An exhibition that’s just started at London’s Natural History Museum 'Life in the Dark' looks at how some animals move, hunt and feed in places where no light ever shines. Professor Geoff Boxshall from the Department of Life Sciences at the National History Museum curated the content for the exhibition...

How are the fish in our lakes, canals and rivers faring in this heatwave? Lower water levels and warmer temperatures can lead to fish kills. Terry Flanagan spoke with Dr. Greg Forde, Head of Research and Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland...

In recent years we’ve seen a resurgence of hat wearing from both women and men - fedoras, panamas, bretons, berets... Milner Edel Ramberg makes hats in her studio in Galway.Derek met Edel and they spoke about the use of feathers in millinery…

A new study looks at how gray wolves from the radioactive forbidden zone around the nuclear disaster site of Chernobyl are now roaming out into un-contaminated land across the wider region.Michael Byrne is a wildlife ecologist at the University of Missouri in Columbia in the United States speaks with Derek.

Researchers from Oxford University and Save The Elephants worked together to study the tremors that their movements send through the ground. Professor Tarje Nissen-Meyer of Oxford University was part of the team who carried out the work in Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve. Tarje talked about the research with Derek.

We Irish have a love hate relationship with the weather. As many prioritise watering the garden, washing the car and filling the paddle pool. Although small problems in the big scheme of things so spare a thought for our feathers Friends. Niall Hatch of Bird Watch Ireland joined us to offer his advice on the topic.

As families flock towards beaches and piers across the country, more and more people are aware of jellyfish. Eanna, Derek and Richard spoke to Dr Tom Doyle, Lecturer in Zoology in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences at University College Cork about what to do if you get stung by a Jellyfish.

The Phoenix Park is full of wildlife, from inside Dublin Zoo to the birds nested throughout the park. On today's show we discuss the merits for and against feeding Deer in the Phoenix Park. Terry Flanagan has been to the park with Laura Griffin, research MSc student at University College Dublin.

In the Netherlands, hundreds of mute swans have been caught in an oil spill after a tanker crashed into a jetty in the port of Rotterdam. Rescue workers have been overwhelmed by the number of contaminated birds, as The Bow Jubail ruptured its hull, pouring 220 tonnes of oil into the harbour.

The declines of bumblebees are confirmed by the All-Ireland Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme co-ordinated by Dr Tomás Murray, senior ecologist at the National Biodiversity Data Centre in Co Waterford spoke with Derek and Richard this evening...

The discovery of thriving populations of water voles in dry and residential areas of Glasgow away from traditional habitat is quite a find and could even be of national significance. Euan McIlwraith is presenter of Radio Scotland’s rural affairs programme "Out of Doors". Euan spoke from his back garden in the rural Aberdeenshire...

Humpback whales re one of the biggest, most majestic and iconic mammals in our oceans. They're returning year after year in increasing numbers to feed in Irish waters. Terry Flanagan spoke with Simon Berrow of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group about the journey of The Celtic Mist vessel from Ireland to Iceland!

Ahead of the Dawn Chorus next weekend, Derek spoke with Helgé Softeland of NRK in Norway (one of the Dawn Chorus' original collaborators) about their contribution and what people can expect on the night.